Sunday, November 9, 2008

Winter Tick List

OK with the rain washing away conditions here's some more psyche up for the winter conditions. This is my mini winter version of Jon Read's superb Grit List http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/4755/climbing/gritlist/gritlist.html detailing all the routes (I can remember!) at grade IX and above in the UK. Elitest, of course it is, but hopefully inspiring. (Note the M grades are largely my guess)

Scotland's latest super route. 8 pitches in total but its really all about the first. A long overhanging well protected traverse culminating in desperate moves away from gear. The first free ascent took 6 attempts by Macleod who stuck to figuring out the sequences ground up despite a sizeable fall. In the region of M10. To get a real flavour of what's involved here's Macleod from his blog "The axe slid and jerked a centimetre. My heart missed a beat and the jolt nearly made me fall, my hand sliding down the upside down axe to the head and rolling onto three fingers. I dynamic match and kung fu allowed one foot to swing onto the wall to the right and up to the peg I got in on Friday. The vertical wall above was climbed in an utterly ‘go for broke’ style, axes ripping , dropping onto one hand and gasping with pump and shrieking for slack. All a bit full on."

The Hurting XI,11 Coire an T-Sneachda

f.a Dave Macleod 2005 repeats noneA summer E4 (supposedly very hard for the grade). Climbed in winter after abseil inspection, a scary fall from near the top on the first lead attempt, then further abseil inspection? before the successful lead. A very insecure vertical wall with rounded hooks and minimal gear leads to a flake and then a steeper finish with poor turf. The crucial gear is a rock zero. M9+/10 with possible ground fall and claimed as the worldest hardest winter trad route at the time. An onsight ascent would be a tour de force.

The Cathedral X,11 The Cobblerf.a Dave Macleod 2004 repeats noneScotland's steepest winter route, emerging from the cave left of Lobby Dosser. Multiple can opener moves and overhead heel toe jams seem to be the key to success, oh and a reasonable level of fitness. It's worth remembering that the first ascensionist was fresh from a repeat of the Swiss M12 Vertical Limit. One 30m pitch with good pro and perhaps M9/9+.

Frozen Sorrow X,10 Lochnagarf.a Alan Mullin, Steve Lynch 2002 repeats noneUnsurprisingly considering who did the first ascent this climb proved pretty controversial. There were rumours of summer pre practice with ice axes and of the climb not being properly wintery enough (latter disproved when photos were published) and finally the route wasn't included in the latest guidebook as the route finishes in the middle of the wall. Nevertheless it looks an amazing piece of climbing. Running paralell to Mort on the Tough Brown Face with a wild crux section of roof climbing followed by thin ice and mixed. Given E3 6a in summer. A full ascent linking into Rolling Thunder awaits.

The Steeple IX,9 Shelter Stonef.a Alan Mullin, Steve Paget 2 aid points 1999. repeats 1 f.f.a and f.o Pete Benson and Guy Robertson 2006Tour de force first ascent by Mullin and the under-rated Paget named "Dawn to Dusk" and climbed in a 24 hour single push (much of that at night). Mullin used 2 nuts for aid starting the Steeple corner. The summer line was largely followed except for a variation around pitch 4. The second ascent was made entirely onsight in 12 hours although the first pitches of Postern and then the Needle were used as this was felt to be the most logical winter line - one of the best winter performances in Scotland to date.

Pic n' Mix IX,9 Coire an Lochainf.a Tim Emmett, Ian Parnell 2006 repeats noneClimbed late in the season but with the tower heavily hoared. Filmed for the DVD Hard XS. On the first attempt, Emmett tokk a fall on pitch 1, and Parnell hampered by lots of digging took two falls and failed to finish the crux. The pair returned the following day with Parnell cleanly clibing pitch 1 and Emmett fighting through rope drag and high winds just managed the second pitch. Pitch 1 is VII 8/9 with one thin tough section, whilst the second crux pitch involves steep laybacking to a very technical and bold exit (a 40 footer if you muff the top). Filmed for the DVD Hard XS. M8.

Climbed during one of the international meets after Alan Mullin pointed out his project to the Tyroleans. A couple of days later it wasn't his project anymore. Initially graded VII,9 probably because the visitors weren't too familiar with Scottish grades. Upgraded by Macleod, who came close to an onsight (falling off one of the last moves of the first pitch) although he still needed several more visits before he could make the coveted second ascent. Emmett's ascent was made on his second go after a slip halfway up the first pitch, and he linked the two pitches together. He reckoned a similar grade overall to Pic n' Mix. Perhaps M8 or M8+? Amazingly, considering its position, that it is well protected and that it's in condition regularly, it still awaits an onsight.

Demon Direct IX,9 Coire an Lochainf.a Alan Mullin, Steve Paget 2001 repeats 1 Dave Macleod (f.o)Mullin returned shortly after the international meet of that year, where one of his projects had been nabbed to become Happy Tyroleans. This paralell line based on the summer E2 The Demon shares the same top pitch but with a bolder start that took Mullin several days of attempts. Macleod's onsight repeat came on a season where he climbed 3 grade IXs. The peg protecting the crux roof is rumoured to be in deteriorating condition. Prob M8.

Mort IX,9 Lochnagarf.a Brian Davison, Dave McGimpsey, Andy Nisbet 2000 repeats noneA well known last great problem finally climbed by one of the UK's strongest and darkest horses. The history of attempts includes an extraordinary effort by Colin Maclean in 1985 who reached within 15m of easy ground. Attempts since had seen some monster falls Davison took a 20m fall on one attempt) and even one of Scotland's toughest campaigners reduced to tears in-extremis. Very run out, technical as well as strenuous Mort is felt to be the definitive grade IX. 2000 was an exceptionally icy season and conditions have never been close since, an onsight repeat remains probably the most coveted ascent in Scotland.

Two attempts were needed, the first retreating from nest of poor gear beneath a very thin ramp on pitch 2. Robertson "manned up" on the return describing the crux as "hard - very precarious, blind and rounded seams - and it didn't yield any pro at all for maybe 20ft....amongst the most committuing bits of climbing I've ever done." Gulp!

Incredible perseverence by Anderson and Cuthbertson with over 7 attempts over several seasons before the successful ascent. Perhaps Scotland's first grade IX? A side runner was used on the initial bold section of the crux second pitch, although this was elminated on the onsight second ascent by Macleod. This pitch has also been onsighted by Es Tressider although the third pitch a grade 8 offwidth (big cams needed) wasn't climbed.

The Secret IX,9 Ben Nevis

f.a Andy Turner, Steve Ashworth, Viv Scott 2007 (f.o). repeats 2 Ian Parnell, Mark Garthwaite, Guy Robertson. and Blair Fyffe and Tony Stone.This much eyed crack-line fell to a very psyched Turner in thick early season hoar with very sustained can opener moves needed on the second cux pitch. Initially given X,10 and claimed as the hardest onsight first ascent in Scottish winter climbing. The repeat just over a month later in easier conditions brought the grade down a notch but the first ascent effort still rates amongst the best around. Good protection but thin, technical and strenuous on the crux. Probably M7+.

The first grade IX to be established ground up with a clean onsight. The long crux pitch involves a bold start leading to a roof and overhanging headwall. Needs turf to be frozen, thought to be M8+. One of Macleod's most impressive winter efforts.

Slochd Wall IX,9 Beinn a Bhuird

f.a Pete Benson, Guy Robertson 2008 repeats none

Latest addition by this powerful team. Climbs a summer HVS with a particularly bold lead required on the second pitch. Benson initially rested to excavate a crucial runner before lowering and and reclimbing the pitch to make the big runout through the crux overhang.

Other Possibilities

Guerdon Grooves IX,8 Glen Coe

f.a Dave Cubby Cuthbertson, Arthur Paul 1984 repeats none

Initially attempted by Al Rouse, then Cuthbertson and Paul, the latter pair returned to make a gripping ascent of this summer HVS in icy conditions. Serious with long runouts. Initially graded VII after several terrifying attempted repeats the current grade is a modern guessed re-assessment. Time will tell if this really was the first grade IX in Scotland by 15 years!

Established using redpoint tactics - top roping followed by an ascent on pre placed gear. The top section relies on a thin layer of ice which obscures many of the protection placements which would likely make an onsight very tough indeed. Was repeated in the same season with Mark Garthwaite also coming very close.

Logical Progression M9 (X,10?) Loch Vorlich

f.a Mark Garthwaite 1999 repeats 1 Dave Macleod

The first Scottish route to "overtly" use red point tactics in winter. As a result no traditional grade was given. This gently overhanging crack was worked with Neil Gresham who fell off some of the final moves on his best attempt. The gear was placed on abseil on the first ascent although on Macleod's repeat he placed the gear on lead (I think?).